


Science and Other Topics of Interest

by CatMeisterCoal



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 12:02:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17080007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatMeisterCoal/pseuds/CatMeisterCoal
Summary: Starscream and Wheeljack start a secret project that gets them into trouble but not the usual kind of trouble you'd expect from a partially illegal mass displacement gun. Things get out of hand relatively quickly.





	Science and Other Topics of Interest

So it hadn’t gone to plan. Starscream would be the first to admit that. Today certainly wasn’t supposed to end up with Wheeljack pressed up against him as he had a leg slung over Wheeljack’s hip and Windblade gawking at them in a dimly lit hall in one of the bays for larger projects. He hadn’t really been thinking when he had pulled Wheeljack against him when he’d heard someone coming, so, he really didn’t feel like the blame could be shifted to him. It was the only thing he could think of in the short few seconds he’d heard tell-tale footsteps headed towards them that would surely uncover what they had actually been doing. The project they’ve been working on now lies half-hidden beneath a workbench that would be obvious to anyone that wasn’t distracted by the emperor being pinned by Wheeljack. The project they’re working on isn’t totally illegal but it certainly isn’t anything that Windblade, Chromia, etc. would approve of. It took every ounce of Starscream’s self control to not glance at their high intensity mass displacement gun that is still in a very sensitive stage of construction. He opts to address Windblade instead.

“Windblade, didn’t expect to see you here,” Starscream gives her that one specific smug look he knows she hates the most, “Need something?”

Windblade looks at him, incredulity bright in her optics and face as though he had just asked her to give the answer to the meaning of life.

“It’s,uh,” Wheeljack shifts uncomfortably, “Not what it looks like?”

“You know what?” Windblade puts up her servos in a pacifying way and shuts her optics, “I can talk to you later Wheeljack.”

With that she walks away leaving the two mechs in the compromising situation she found them in as Wheeljack groans in embarrassment only to give Starscream an exasperated look when he starts chuckling. Wheeljack pulls away and retrieves their secret project as Starscream continues to revel in the hilarity of their predicament. Starscream walks over to Wheeljack and puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, you have to admit her reaction was hilarious,” Starscream says with a curl of schadenfreude.

“What were ya’ thinkin’? I know we need ta’ hide this n’ all but I don’t think that was necessary,” Wheeljack sighs and turns to Starscream, “I mean ya’ had yer leg…”

“It was spur of the moment.”

“Ya mean ya weren’t thinkin’,” Wheeljack crosses his arms and leans back on the workbench after checking that their project wasn’t damaged by the hasty stashing.

“What? No, I was thinking!” Starscream scoffs, “We clearly needed some reason for being down here.”

“An’ lookin’ like we were ‘bout ta’ frag was yer best solution?” Wheeljack shakes his head, “We’re high up enough on the food chain t’be down here of our own accord, Starscream.”

Starscream blusters for a moment before giving an indignant noise and looks over their project that’s been replaced back on to the workbench. Wheeljack gives him a look before shrugging and joining his unexpected lab partner to work on their only mostly lethal mass displacement gun. He had to admit the concept, while sinister, is absolutely ingenious and, sure, it could kill someone by warping their systems all to hell but in terms of transporting goods it could really come in handy. Leave it to Starscream to come up with something so helpful and yet so deadly. Wheeljack admitted he was impressed, not to Starscream’s face of course, but he enjoys being able to work on something like this and the seeker has proven to be an amicable individual to work with in the lab which was probably the biggest surprise to Wheeljack. Having worked with him for a little while now he could tell that Starscream had missed working on projects like this for some time now and had recruited Wheeljack to finally scratch that itch. Wheeljack has found himself enjoying working with Starscream over the preliminary stages of the project. He hadn’t expected to and he initially thought this would be one of the most tedious things he’s ever done. Once in lab, however, it was almost like Starscream was a completely different person: excited, happy, almost pleasant. It gets unnerving sometimes.

Now, their little debacle had been completely forgotten by Starscream with all of his attention on their project. Wheeljack just takes a moment to watch Starscream tinker away, content and peaceful, things he didn’t show anyone normally or at all really. In order for him to relax enough to show this side of him, he had to go to the darkest, most deserted part of the labs to work on a secret project. Wheeljack continues to be amazed at the level the mech seems to trust him.

“Are you just going to stand there and enjoy the view or are you going to help me stabilize the inner mechanism?” Starscream says not breaking his attention making Wheeljack jump, “I know I’m quite the sight but we do have a project to work on.”

“Er, uh, yeah, right,” Wheeljack coughs awkwardly and joins Starscream again making Starscream chuckle, a noise that is still strange to Wheeljack.

Things go on as they usually do for Wheeljack after his little debacle with Starscream. His days constitute of lab work then reports then reading up on the latest research and then finally some time to work on their secret project late in the evening. It always has to be late in the evening since they both have ridiculously busy work schedules that also happen to make it harder for Wheeljack to have free time with his usual crowd for drinks and relaxing after a long day. Windblade has been starting to give him strange and barely withheld looks whenever he says he already has plans for the night but she kindly enough doesn’t say anything. Wheeljack never brings up that unspoken event and it seems that Windblade is disinclined to broach the subject as well. Well, at least it gives Wheeljack an alibi for sneaking away with Starscream to work on their moderately illegal gun. He can deal with Windblade thinking that he’s getting cozy with the seeker so long as it keeps her from wondering what they’re actually doing. So, little victories and all that. He keeps himself busy trying to shrug off the little sliver of embarrassment that he feels whenever Windblade arches an eyeridge his way since, while he can deal with it, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel embarrassed that she thinks she caught him in the act.

It’s another night that Starscream and Wheeljack have a workshop session planned in the lower labs, so, Wheeljack rushes through the documents heavily laden with new quantum physics studies. He’s so engrossed in his speed-reading that he doesn’t hear the door open followed by light steps that make their way to his work station.

“Hey, Wheeljack,” Windblade says pleasantly startling the poor mech.

“Windblade, wh-what can I help ya with?” Wheeljack asks a little flustered.

“It’s after hours,” she shakes her head, bemused, “I’m here to ask if you want to get a drink with me and Ironhide.”

“Oh, uh,” Wheeljack taps the top of his table nervously.

Windblade sighs before he can formulate an answer and looks at him with a more troubled look than the easy one she offered him before.

“Wheeljack, what you have with Starscream…” she begins and he can feel his tanks become icy cold, “I’m worried about you. Whatever it is between you… you have to know he must be using you in some way.”

“It’s not what ya’ think, Windblade,” Wheeljack steadies himself, “And yeah, I kinda figured him using me would be parta the equation. That’s how it’s supposed to go, ain’t it?”

Windblade looks taken aback and Wheeljack reevaluates what he just said and then brings a hand to his face.

“That came out wrong.”

“You’re just- What? Using each other? That’s not healthy, Wheeljack,” her voice drips with concern as she brings a hand to his shoulder.

“We’re not- It’s not,” Wheeljack gives a sigh, “Look, I know what ya saw but it ain’t that, alright?”

“Then what is it if it isn’t ‘that’?”

“We-”

“Wheeljack, I thought we had another session planned,” Starscream walks in, not noticing Windblade at first.

Windblade shoots Wheeljack another look that warns of caution and of disbelief that he’d be this stupid.

“Sorry,” Wheeljack shuffles the datapads away in the correct order, “Got caught up in some new research.”

“Well hurry up,” Starscream huffs, “I’ve been waiting a lot longer than I’d like to be.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Well, I guess I’ll leave you to it,” Windblade awkwardly shrugs her shoulders then slips out of the lab.

Starscream watches her leave with an arched brow and then turns to Wheeljack who’s still tidying up.

“What was that about?”

“That bit,” Wheeljack gestures vaguely to the closed door, “was yer bit a’ handywork.”

“My-,” Starscream begins then his head snaps up in realization, “oh, that.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, if I knew that making it look like we were fragging would make Windblade clear the room like that I would’ve done it ages ago,” Starscream crosses his arms and leans back next to the door.

“Them thinkin’ it’s me yer fragging notwithstanding?”

“I could do worse,” Starscream shrugs.

“Could do better too,” Wheeljack pushes of his workbench and walks towards the door while waving for Starscream to follow him, “I just don’t get how ya can be so alright with this.”

“I’ve faced much worse gossip than this,” Starscream sneers, “Besides, they’ll get bored of it eventually and when we’re done with our little project the rumors will die. Nothing will come of this.”

“If ya say so,” Wheeljack sighs.

They’ve hit a snag. Three months of working fluidly and they’ve hit a snag. Nothing could be more frustrating for the two of them than to have no idea how to fix their creation’s latest problem. They can’t get the capacitors to evenly release energy through the system causing the damn thing to heat up too fast which nearly fried the inner circuitry before they shut it off during their dry test. Wheeljack holds his chin in his hand, racking his brain for anything they could do to deal with the oversurge of energy while Starscream sits on the bench, leaning back on the heels of his palms. The wide construction bay echoes with an eerie, barely audible thrum interspersed with the loud bumps of cooling pipes and the far away clanking of chains that catch a sudden breeze. They stand in the soft glow of the red lights used to light the way of the bay on their large platform away from the main projects held there. The platform stands above the deep drop of the bay that gives way to wicked looking machinery. Wheeljack’s mind floats away to looking around at all of this in an attempt to give his mind a break so he can think more clearly about their little conundrum. As he looks around his eyes land on Starscream, perched on their workbench with his optics distant in thought and his mouth in a flat line, clearly bothered by this latest foil.

Wheeljack notes how well Starscream fits in, right here, in the dim red glow that bounces off his red frame and gray face while his optics seem brighter in the half-light. He steps in front of him making the seeker break his train of thought in favor of looking up at Wheeljack with a calm look that softens the normally harsh lines of his face. The person that Wheeljack gets to see when they work together is always a jarring sight and wonders if this is the Starscream from before the war. He tilts his head and looks at their project that remains cold and off, discarded to the side in their frustration. He’s half contemplating just starting anew because at this point the only answer he seems to be able to come up with is to strip the gun down to its most inner components and redo the wiring from there. Starscream groans seeming to come to the same conclusion and lazily opens one of the panels without moving from his seat to look at the energy readings again. Too much too quickly without a clear way to reroute it, it’s a nightmare.

Suddenly, Starscream perks up and rapidly stows the device away in a drawer of the workbench then, before Wheeljack can protest, he pulls his fellow scientist along with him so that Wheeljack leans over him. Wheeljack catches himself on his on the workbench so that he hovers over Starscream, face to face, with his legs on either side of his waist. An amused smirk spreads over Starscream’s face at his surprise and then pulls him closer as the sound of footsteps reach Wheeljack’s audials. Before he can gather himself to do anything, the footsteps reach the platform and stop abruptly with a short shuffle as though the intruder was stumbling. Wheeljack manages to lift up to turn to face their uninvited guest after Starscream releases him and he suppresses a groan when he sees Ironhide.

“Ah, uh,” Ironhide gapes at them before his optics flicker towards the exit and back, “Windblade said you were busy… I just thought that maybe you were overworking again… Thought I might drop by and get you to spend some time with us… Didn’t know she meant that kind of busy. Sorry for interrupting. I, uh, I’m gonna go now. Bye.”

With that Ironhide leaves in a rush, his heavy pedesteps growing heavier and faster the farther he gets letting anyone listening know he’s running. Wheeljack glares back at Starscream who’s still looking at the exit with a smile on his face who then turns back, feeling Wheeljack’s optics on him. His smile falls somewhat at the harsh look Wheeljack is giving him.

“Really?” Wheeljack grumbles.

“What?” Starscream chuckles.

“Ya know exactly ‘what’.”

“True,” Starscream lifts back up putting them face to face again, “but did you see the look on his face?”

“Yeah, he was embarrassed as all hell.”

“It looks like Windblade tried to keep our little secret,” Starscream muses, “wasn’t that nice of her?”

“Yer enjoyin’ this too much,” Wheeljack steps away and keeps his gaze fixedly on the exit.

Silence fills the space between them as they contemplate the significance of Ironhide catching them in the act or what could have been perceived as being something elicit. Wheeljack hears Starscream’s delicate and even steps approach his side and a hand comes up to his shoulder and he gives in slightly to the gesture to look at Starscream. The flat expression on Starscream’s face is one he’s begun to understand as the closest thing he could or would ever get to an apologetic look.

“I don’t think we’re going to get anything else done tonight,” Starscream gestures hopelessly to the gun, “we should head out and come back to it later.”

“I hope we don’t have to reconstruct the damn thing,” Wheeljack nods.

“You and me both.”

Things become difficult with Ironhide for Starscream after he had intruded on their faked private moment, seeing as how he isn’t able to make eye contact with the seeker throughout his entire report or the rest of the day for that matter. Starscream, getting rather fed up with his behavior, decides to try and smooth things over with the mech in some way. Along the way to Ironhide’s office however, he begins to feel optics on him and realizes that wherever he goes someone is looking at him. It’s not the normal open stares either. These are attempted secretive looks that hint at some sort of taboo knowledge or gossip and he’s sure he has a pretty good idea what that might be. He’d never taken Ironhide to be much of a gossip so something else had to happen and seeing as how Windblade didn’t even tell Ironhide he doubted she was the one spreading rumors. Sighing and giving up on reassuring the poor, red mech he decides to get to the bottom of the latest rumor mill. His first instinct is to suspect Rattrap but that falls short when he overhears a conversation.

“Have you noticed how Starscream and Wheeljack always disappear together?” a distant whisper.

“Did they really think no one… even Windblade tried to hide it?” the two bots chatting begin to move away making it more difficult to parse through their conversation.

“It was starting to get obvious how…”

Starscream feels his fuellines run cold as sudden realization hits him like a truck. He feels completely and utterly foolish that he had thought that his little escapades with Wheeljack would be ignored or written off as nothing. He had been a Decepticon for crying out loud, not to mention he’s the one and only Starscream. He chalks his lapse in judgement up to the, for once, mostly innocent intentions of their little meetings that he hadn’t noticed this earlier. At the very least no one has assumed that they’re trying to sabotage the government in some kind of shadow scheme which would have been Megatron’s first instinct instead of suspecting some kind of secret tryst. Starscream retreats back to his office as it becomes more and more obvious that Windblade stumbling in on them wasn’t the beginning of such suspicions but rather the confirmation there-in. Seeing no point in trying to defuse the situation he just returns to his paperwork and hopes the rumors will go away in their own time. Any attempt he could make to try and deny the entire thing would just serve to reinforce the suspected rumors but ignoring it, he knew, would let it die. These thoughts calm him until a very tentative Windblade makes her way into his office.

“Hello Windblade,” Starscream glances at her for a split second before returning to work, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I just wanted to come up and ask if that perhaps the situation between you and Wheeljack is a serious thing,” she says in a rushed voice with barely a break in-between words, her nerves written throughout her taught frame.

“‘A serious thing’,” Starscream repeats and sighs while putting down the datapad he was looking through, giving up work in favor of discussing this with Windblade.

“Yes, I just want to know what kind of relationship you have,” Windblade coughs awkwardly, “Wheeljack is my friend-”

“Yes, I know Camiens do things a little differently,” Starscream interrupts her as he gets up to meet her and she has the good grace not to look too insulted.

“A lot differently it seems sometimes,” Windblade straightens, gaining some confidence in the face of his normal condescension.

“Nothing is happening between Wheeljack and myself that you should or would be worried about.”

“Why do I find that less than convincing?” Windblade puts her hands on her hips, nervousness completely evaporated.

“I won’t hurt him if that’s what you’re so worried about. I could never hurt him,” Starscream rolls his eyes and leans on his desk.

He looks at Windblade’s still frame and realizes he might have said something wrong if her renewed stiff posture is anything to go by. He adjusts his shoulders and waits for her to respond but she just looks down and fiddles with her hands for a moment. He puts a hand to his face and shakes his head.

“What else do you want? You may not approve that Wheeljack and I are spending more time together but that’s hardly any reason to go on high alert.”

“With you,” Windblade gives him an intense look, “yes, that is. What I want, is for you to know that if you even try to hurt him, you won’t like the outcome. I don’t care about what consequences I might face for what I would do to you.”

“Where’s that ‘touch of kindness’ you’re always advocating for?” Starscream smirks and remarks snidely.

“Would that get a more genuine response from you?” Windblade retorts coldly.

“We’re not together if that is your greatest concern.”

“It- then what are you?”

“Lab partners,” Starscream says with a dramatic flare that has Windblade rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, well just try not to cause too many explosions,” Windblade warns sarcastically clearly not trusting a single word Starscream says.

The room grows cold and quiet between them as they just stare at each other for a moment. Windblade bristles as Starscream gives a wicked grin.

“That’s not- I didn’t mean-” Windblade grows flustered only making Starscream’s grin grow wider.

“I know what you meant,” he shakes his head, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Wheeljack doesn’t blow up before it’s time.

Windblade makes a disgusted noise and storms out of his office leaving behind a highly amused Starscream who happily goes back to work unconcerned with whatever assumptions that are being made about him.

Wheeljack, in his lab, is having the most uncomfortable day of his life. It had been morning when Ironhide had popped in supposedly to chat for a little while but then he just never left. Everytime he tries to start a conversation with Wheeljack he seems to be trying to work himself up to ask the question that’s clearly weighing on him. Ironhide, however, only manages to talk about odd bits of things that have been going on and other gossip. Wheeljack tries to be accomodating, he really does, but the large mech intruding in his space is beginning to get on his nerves and he’s just about ready to chew out Ironhide. He understands his friend’s concern, really, he does since this is Starscream that’s being considered after all but this is just getting ridiculous. After Ironhide brings up what happened at the bar last night for the thirteenth time, Wheeljack slams down the piece of tech he was working on, effectively startling his guest and turns to him.

“Ironhide, what is it?” Wheeljack spits out completely fed up, “whad’ya wanna know?”

“I, ha,” Ironhide awkwardly scratches the back of his helm, a very human gesture, “I guess I have to admit I’m curious how long you and Starscream have been together.”

Wheeljack chokes on air and just looks at Ironhide, stunned by the unwarranted acceptance from his friend. He’d expected to be berated for starting something with Starscream of all people but this is almost too much for him to handle. He struggles for a moment with wrapping his head around this fact.

“Ya- yer not gonna tell me I shouldn’t be doin’ what I’m doin’?” Wheeljack looks up at the other mech who shuffles a bit.

“Well, Wheeljack, the way I see it is that...” Ironhide shrugs and looks down at his pedes, “you know, I noticed that Starscream has mellowed out somewhat recently and I had chalked it up to him becoming more accustomed to being a decent leader but I guess it’s really been you. I don’t know what it is but it’s like you bring out the best in him. I actually -and I know this sounds hard to believe- I actually saw him smiling the other day. I mean not in some kind of sick amusement or anything, just happy. It was incredibly unnerving.”

Wheeljack tries to think of something to say but fails and goes back to work like Ironhide hadn’t said anything.

“You alright, Wheeljack?” Ironhide comes up next to him.

“Uh, yeah,” Wheeljack nods while not taking his eyes off his work, “Jus’ wasn’t expectin’ ya t’be so acceptin’ of the thing. But uh…”

“But?” Ironhide frowns, worry evident in his brow.

“Starscream n’ I… we’re not… that,” Wheeljack’s hands slow with his words and he turns back to Ironhide.

“So, you’re casual,” Ironhide shrugs, “lots of bots do that.”

“No, we’re not that either,” Wheeljack raises his hands and waves them as if to dismiss the claim from the air.

Ironhide’s frown turns hard in contemplation at this new information and he hums as he gets lost in thought before brightening when he comes to a conclusion.

“Oh, so you’re in a ‘it’s complicated’ way,” Ironhide winks, “I gotcha. No worries Wheeljack, I’ll be sure to give you the space to figure this out. I won’t pressure you for details and the like. Just make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you jump in.”

“Uh, I- thanks?” Wheeljack just hopelessly looks up at his friend lost as to how to explain how terribly he had missed the point.

“I’ll see you tonight?” Ironhide calls over his shoulder as he makes his leave then pauses, “Oh, or will you be busy.”

“You’ll see me t’night,” Wheeljack insists quickly.

“Alright, see you then!”

Wheeljack is then left standing alone in his lab wondering how that could of gone as badly as it had. He looks his project over then pushes it aside feeling incredibly unmotivated to work in this moment and considers what he should do. In a brief moment of weakness, he opens a comm to Starscream.

Starscream leans against the table with his head in his hand as he listens to his oh-so esteemed council discuss the latest matters which is what’s causing him to feel so inconsolably bored. Just as they get to the rividing topic of sewage system maintenance and repair, a notification of an incoming comm pops on his hud. A flicker of surprise distorts his optics as he looks to see that Wheeljack is comming him. Taking it as an excuse to escape the meeting, he stands up and excuses himself telling them he has to take a call while making a note of how Windblade’s optics follow him out with thinly veiled disapproval and knowing. Once out of the meeting room, Starscream opens the comm which opens a tidal wave of words from a very flustered scientist.

“Wheeljack slow down,” Starscream cringes when he notices some mechs nearby perk up in interest, “What’s wrong? Slowly this time.”

“Everybody thinks we’re somethin’ now. How is that possible? I don’t know how t’tell them that we’re not without completely revealin’ what we’ve actually been doin’,” Wheeljack says a bit more calmly but it’s still a bit rapid fire.

“You worry too much,” Starscream sighs, “I told you, they’ll get bored of it eventually. What prompted this anyway?”

“Ironhide came ta’ visit me n’ I don’t think I explained it all that well so he thinks we’re in some kinda ‘complicated’ relationship,” Wheeljack explains and Starscream chuckles.

“Well, we are a bit ‘complicated’,” Starscream smiles as he hears Wheeljack groan on the other end of the line, “Yes, yes, I get you’re frustrated by this. Probably not used to all the attention. At the end of the day, though, what does it matter?”

“...I guess yer right,” Wheeljack sounds immediately calmer on the other end of the line, “Doesn’t really matter if they think we’re fraggin’. What Ironhide said, though, seemed to imply that some people might think we’re romantically involved instead of just casual or whatever.”

“Yes, I gathered that from Windblade myself.”

“She confront you?”

“Of course she confronted me, Wheeljack. You’re her friend, she cares about you. It’s only logical. I’m just glad I don’t have the entire council breathing down my neck at the possibility of turning you to the darkside. They like you as well.”

“Ha, well ya could’ve fooled me ‘bout that last bit. I don’t think ya ‘turning me t’the darkside’ is a concern anymore though. Ya been loads better ‘bout bein’, well, bein’ ‘round people n’ workin’ with them. Ya been jus’ better all around, ya know? I’m proud of ya fer makin’ the change, Starscream. I know they must annoy ya t’hell sometimes.”

“Yeah… Thank you, Wheeljack… I appreciate that,” Starscream’s optics go out of focus and a sense of joy alights his spark, tight but warm, “Anyway, will I be seeing you tonight?”

“Sorry, but I felt like I’d been blowin’ off the gang a lot lately so I told Ironhide I’d go out fer drinks tonight,” Wheeljack’s now-easytone floats over the comm.

“You have been neglecting them a bit because of me, it’s true. Well then, I guess I’ll miss you tonight but we can do something tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, ‘course.”

“Good, I’ll see you later then.”

“See ya.”

With that Starscream closes the comm and turns around only to nearly bump into Windblade and before he can say anything the look on her face silences him. It’s the most gentle expression she’s ever given him and it makes him feel uneasy and off-balance. A little smile rests beneath her optics that have a warm glow to them that he’s never seen before that makes him feel completely out of his element. He clears his intake in an attempt to regain his composure but the look is still there and he doesn’t know what to do.

“I guess I shouldn’t be too worried,” Windblade chuckles making Starscream flinch in surprise.

“What?”

“I overheard your conversation with Wheeljack,” her smile grows bigger, “You really seem to care about him.”

“I…do,” Starscream says as his inner-monologue begins to scream at him for being so stupid for saying that.

“Right,” she shakes her head in amusement, “You’re not really used to the whole ‘feelings’ thing, huh? I guess that’s why it’s ‘complicated’.”

“Yes. That.”

“Well the meeting’s over and it’s late, I’m going to go,” she walks away then calls behind her, “I’ll make sure he makes it home safe. You don’t have to worry.”

He stands there, frozen in shock, feeling lost after being met with such honest kindness from Windblade.So much so that he feels off-balance as he tries to fully process what just happened. He walks back to his office in a daze, ignoring the stares he receives from the mechs hanging around until he reaches his door, slamming it behind him. He wonders briefly if this is what Wheeljack had felt when he’d been bombarded by an overly-supportive Ironhide and that’s really why he had commed him. This kind of attention is overwhelming and unlike anything Starscream has ever been shown by any of his peers before or during the war. Everything had been cold: the world, the people, the lovers, the politics. Now, it had all flipped on its head leaving Starscream disoriented and unsure since he had originally expected them all to look unfavorably on his rumored relationship with Wheeljack. Facing the exact opposite of his expectations make all his usual strategies when dealing with gossip completely useless. He suddenly very much wants to have Wheeljack around to vent to and to confess that he isn’t sure this will all die down after all.

Wheeljack walks into Blurr’s bar to meet Windblade and Ironhide at their usual booth and sits down feeling a lot better than he had earlier. After his conversation with Starscream, he managed to get some work done and even came up with an idea of how they might deal with their little overcharge problem with their gun. When he sits down he’s met with the bright smiles of his friends that, while not entirely unpleasant, make him feel as though he’s missed out on some joke or something. Their usuals get served by Blurr and he tentatively takes a sip while waiting for them to make the first move. Windblade just hums in a false sign of ignorance and Ironhide chuckles into his drink only succeeding in peeving off Wheeljack but he refuses to buy into their little game. Windblade sighs in defeat and sets her drink down.

“I talked with Starscream,” she admits.

“So I heard,” Wheeljack says waiting for her to get to her point.

“I just wanted to say I’m happy for you,” she laughs a little when Wheeljack sets his drink down heavily in surprise, “I don’t know how you did it but it really seems like you two work. I know you two are ‘complicated’ or whatever but I’m sure you’ll get him to warm up to the idea of something more official.”

“It seems like you’ve been warming him up pretty well to the idea already,” Ironhide butts in making Wheeljack’s finials flash with embarrassment.

“Right,” is all he says and lets the ambient noises of the bar wash over them.

Windblade and Ironhide share a look then return their focus to Wheeljack.

“So, how is it anyway?” Ironhide asks earning a slap on the arm from Windblade.

“What?! Ya’ mean…”

“Yeah, I mean you can’t blame a mech for being curious,” Ironhide shrugs as Windblade facepalms.

“It- That’s none of yer business,” Wheeljack huffs and looks away.

A gust of air and sudden flash prelude’s Blurr’s presence at their table looking smug as ever.

“Do I detect gossip over here?” Blurr waggles his eyeridges.

“No-”

“Starscream and Wheeljack are in a ‘complicated’ relationship,” Windblade says happily.

“No, we’re not,” Wheeljack frantically refuses, “We’re not. It’s not like that.”

“Oh, so did it stop being ‘complicated’ today?” Ironhide leans in excitedly.

“Wheeljack!” Blurr gasps melodramatically, “I had no idea you had it in you!”

“This is bein’ blown outta proportion,” Wheeljack grumbles.

“I think it’s sweet. Especially the way he talked with you today when you commed him,” Windblade puts a hand on Wheeljack’s shoulder, “It also looked like you said something rather sweet to him as well.”

“Let’s talk ‘bout somethin’ else,” Wheeljack begs, face hidden in his hands, “Anythin’! Please.”

“Alright, alright,” Blurr waves and starts to get back to work, “we’ll let you keep the details of your relationship under wraps. I would like to congratulate you, though. Must’ve been hard to convince him he wouldn’t get any backlash for being with you.”

“Don’t you have a bar t’ tend?”

“I’m going. I’m going,” Blurr rushes away leaving the three to vent about the day.

Aside from the continued assumption of the nature of his relationship with Starscream it turns out to be a great night with complaining about Elita-1 and her latest “great” ideas on how to keep crime down and telling stories about what happened that day. Ironhide recounts how some rookies got in trouble with three industrial sized containers of coolant, a sled, a small rocket, and too much free time that has Wheeljack and Windblade dying with laughter. In the end Wheeljack is glad he went out with them tonight since he really had been putting too much time into his and Starscream’s secret project. He’d missed this. Windblade winds up insisting on walking him home and Ironhide joins them even though he had barely anything to drink but she hadn’t let up because of some promise she made or something. All the way back to his apartment they’re loud and rowdy undoubtedly annoying his neighbors but he doesn’t care. This kind of thing, being able to relax like this was a luxury even before the war so he’s going to enjoy every second he can. They eventually get to his apartment where Windblade and Ironhide wish him goodnight then make their leave. Once inside, Wheeljack flops into his berth, feeling content, happy, and a little buzzed marking the end of a wonderful night as he drifts easily into recharge.

Dim, red optics glow in the half-lit space of the construction bay, burrowing to his very core. Firm but gentle servos lead him to lean over a lithe, red frame that’s warm to the touch. Then the servos are over his mask asking for entrance that he gives easily, letting the cool air tickle his face. Soft, gray derma brush his own in gentle, almost shy touches making bursts of charge and heat flash down his chassis. The servos make their way to the back of his helm, pulling him closer while deepening the kiss as his engines rumble at the increased contact. He moves his own servos to knead between the plating of his lover’s hips causing little sounds of pleasure to bubble up from them. The plating over their interface arrays rub together obscenely, hot from their ministrations. He feels his partners plating move to reveal their wet valve and his moves instinctually at the delightful sensation. 

A blaring noise has Wheeljack sitting up suddenly in his berth with his spark thrumming quickly as the spell his dream had cast is suddenly broken and he leans over to slam the alarm off. He groans and slides off his berth which is when he notices his situation which is when the details of his dream become more vivid in his mind and he feels a kind of numb confusion overtake him. Starscream. He had dreamt about fragging Starscream.Trying not to let it get to him too much, he takes care of himself in his washracks and heads to his lab for the day.

Starscream looks over his datapads with half hearted interest as the day draws on but is thankfully slowly coming to a close. He could have never anticipated the kind of effect supposedly being in a relationship with someone like Wheeljack would have on those around him. More people have come up to talk to him in the past few hours than the entirety of his time as Second In Command of the Decepticons and the sudden interactions are making him feel uneasy. This sort of thing would mean a plot of some-kind but among these Autobots and Camiens it has a completely different context, a social language he’s still learning. Apparently, he’s more approachable because, of course, if Wheeljack likes him he must have some redeeming quality so everyone is suddenly determined to figure out what that is which leads to questions, incredibly personal and uncomfortable questions. His denial and claim for privacy is suddenly being interpreted as bashfulness instead of the cold demeanor he’s known for and his insistence that nothing serious is happening between himself and Wheeljack only makes them think that he’s nervous about taking things further. Starscream can feel the defenses and reputation he’s built over the past few millenia crumble around him in just a few hours. His only hope is that it’ll all become evident that their assumptions are just that, assumptions. He has no idea how it had all gotten so twisted but here they are.

Ironhide chooses this point to step into his office with a pensive expression making Starscream groan internally before steadying himself, preparing for whatever may come. He gestures for the guard to have a seat which he does so with a small nod. Starscream waits patiently for his unexpected guest to speak, hands folded on his desk and his best attempt at an open look plastered on his face. Ironhide clears his intake and adjusts a little in his seat.

“It’s not my place to be concerned with what you do in your freetime,” Ironhide begins slowly, “but-”

“You’re quite right,” Starscream crosses his arms, “it is none of your business.”

“But,” Ironhide repeats with more emphasis, “Wheeljack is my friend and I worry about the guy. He doesn’t always take the best care of himself.”

“No,” Starscream slides a hand over his face, “no, he doesn’t. I am curious about what your point here is.”

“I think you should really consider making what’s between the two of you more defined,” Ironhide explains in a gentle tone, “I don’t think having a ‘complicated’ relationship for too long would be good for him. These things sometimes take time, I know but I thought I might let you know that… You probably already know that he’s a lot more sensitive to things than he lets on. If he’s really falling for you as hard as I think he is you should try to get a clear understanding of how you feel. Letting him stress himself out in the suspense will only hurt his health. He’s been through enough already.”

Starscream freezes at his words as a cold sliver of worry makes its way to his spark, doubt ebbing at the edges of his thoughts. The sincerity of Ironhide’s words shakes him to his core making him question everything that has happened in just this past week and the months that led to this climax. Why had Wheeljack agreed to his project so easily?

“I understand,” Starscream looks away so he doesn’t have to see Ironhide’s reaction as he ever so slightly opens up, “I assure you, where Wheeljack and I stand is explicitly clear.”

The doubt that crosses Ironhide’s face causes frustration to bubble up in Starscream. He sighs and decides to redouble his efforts in trying to make Ironhide understand even if no one will be able to get it through their thick heads that they’re not together then at least he’ll have Ironhide.

“Wheeljack and I are not in a relationship,” Starscream says but hesitates before continuing as Ironhide’s expression becomes unreadable, “We’re just helping each other out with something on the side, a hobby of sorts.”

“A hobby,” Ironhide says flatly.

“Yes.”

“So, having secret interface with Wheeljack is just a ‘hobby’ to you.”

“No!” Starscream stands up in a sudden panic, “I know what you saw made it seem like we were going to have interface but that was just me teasing Wheeljack.”

“You were teasing him,” Ironhide repeats and shakes his head, “I see now, you don’t understand the harm in what you perceive as ‘just teasing’ so I can’t really blame you for this. You have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

Starscream gapes at him. He can’t believe what he’s hearing, that he’s the one that’s misunderstanding the situation. There are no words to describe the sheer amount of disbelief he’s feeling in this moment.

“Starscream, I think you really should talk about how you feel with Wheeljack.”

“I don’t see anything we could possibly be doing wrong,” Starscream grumbles and gives up entirely on trying to get anyone to believe him.

“What do you think of Wheeljack?”

“What?”

“I’m going to work through this with you,” Ironhide stands to meet Starscream, “What do you think of Wheeljack?”

“This is ridiculous,” Starscream scoffs.

“I’m not leaving you alone until you start trying to come up with answers to the questions you really should be asking yourself.”

Starscream dithers for a moment to weigh the situation before responding, “He’s a brilliant scientist.”

“And?”

Starscream sighs and resigns himself to his fate, “He’s genuine. He cares. Something I’ve found hard to do sometimes.”

Ironhide watches him as he begins to pace.

“He knows people. I mean he knows how to be around people without making a performance of it. Wheeljack doesn’t want to stab anyone in the back. He’s motivated but doesn’t crave power to any degree. He’s everything I’m not.”

“You spend a lot more time with him than anyone else and he’s the only one you seem to spend time with voluntarily, not because you have to because you work with him. Why is that?”

“He’s tolerable, dare I say, he’s even enjoyable to be around. It doesn’t feel like I’m being evaluated or judged around him because he just takes people at face value not bothering to try to pick them apart. His presence is undemanding, by that I mean he doesn’t expect the people around him to try to impress him in any way. I don’t have to try to fool him. He knows who I am and is content with it.”

“What do you want from him?”

“Nothing!” Starscream jumps as though he had just been burned, glaring daggers at Ironhide who shrugs off his reaction.

“Then,” Ironhide steps forward to stand over him, “don’t you think that sounds a lot like love?”

Starscream laughs which makes Ironhide frown.

“Love? No, I respect him,” Starscream wanders back to his desk, “Maybe even care about him but love? I haven’t been in love in four million years. I don’t have time for it really. I’m the Emperor of Cybertron, so the people need me and before that I was Second in Command of the Decepticons. I didn’t have time then and I don’t have time now so I really can’t spare what time I do have on something so trivial.”

“You might see it as trivial but I don’t think Wheeljack does. He loves you.”

“Wheeljack doesn’t love me,” Starscream spits out in shock.

“I’m pretty sure he does,” Ironhide crosses his arms and leans back looking at Starscream with some interest now.

“Oh really,” Starscream rolls his optics, “then tell me, what makes you so sure?”

“He’s been happier as of late. Like something in his life finally fit into place,” Ironhide shrugs, “I suppose a few things could attribute to that but this big change in him started about the same time the two of you started disappearing together.”

“I know we weren’t trying to be subtle when we got together for our little meetups but I didn’t think anyone would bother to notice,” Starscream’s frown deepens.

“Wheeljack’s my friend and you’re, well, you. I wanted to keep tabs on you to make sure you didn’t do a ‘you’ thing.”

“Fair enough.”

“I didn’t keep too hard of an eye on you after seeing how relaxed and happy he seemed the next time we got together. Especially when it was just the very next day after you two had one of your -ahem- meetings.”

Starscream laughs at the uncomfortable expression on Ironhide’s face then continues, “So? He has fun then. That doesn’t mean anything more. It certainly doesn’t mean he loves me.”

“It’s more than that,” Ironhide insists and leans forward to emphasize what he says, “There was a week, just a week where the two of you didn’t get together and he got… well, he got really moody. He didn’t want to go out for drinks or anything but then you asked him to spend time with you and he jumped at the opportunity. Then the next time I see him he’s asking me if I want to go for drinks, happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

Starscream stares at Ironhide, face impassive as he slowly crosses his arms as if to close himself off from what he’s saying and the strange ring of truth it contains. He looks away and Ironhide sighs before getting up to place a gentle hand on Starscream’s shoulder.

“Just give it a thought, alright?” and with that he leaves, letting Starscream stew in these revelations.

Once Ironhide leaves, he decidedly does not think about it and does everything he can to distract himself from the heavy presence of “what if” that the security guard had oh so generously dumped onto his psyche. His reinvigorated focus lets him finish his work in record time leaving him the reports he’d been procrastinating on reading only to speed through those as well. He schedules the next three weeks’ meetings and then sends the forms Windblade had been bothering him about filling out. Having all this done in just a few hours, Starscream finds himself without anything he needs to do which lets a perfect vacuum to appear in his mind by which his earlier conversation with Ironhide worms its way into. He lays his helm on his desk and tries to remember what happened yesterday, what happened during the war, anything but he always comes back around to Wheeljack. Wheeljack, who’s currently just working away in his lab. Starscream rushes out of his office and heads down to the labs.

Wheeljack is just reading the news as he waits for the tests he’s running to finish up when the doors slide open to reveal Starscream who walks in to look over his shoulder only to scoff. Wheeljack rolls his optics and doesn’t pay the seeker mind as he continues to flip through the article figuring that whatever Starscream wanted from him would be revealed sooner rather than later. Instead of demanding some inane project or telling him what machinery needs to be upgraded, he wanders around the lab to look at the screens of the computers currently compiling the data Wheeljack needs then to the distillation Wheeljack has set up. This peeks Wheeljack’s curiosity so he looks up to watch the seeker move around his lab languidly, not seeming to have any particular reason for being there. Starscream picks up a piece of tech to look at it more closely and the careful touch of his sharp servos violently throws memories of the dream Wheeljack had back to him making his head spin. His uninvited guest seems to notice the sudden tension in his struts and turns to him, tilting his helm in an unspoken question. Wheeljack forces himself to relax then sets his datapad to the side.

“Whatcha’ need, Starscream?” Wheeljack stands to greet him.

“Nothing,” Starscream looks back at the various projects scattered around the lab, “thought I might just pop in and say hi.”

“Right,” Wheeljack approaches his side to get a better look at him with a bit of concern, “since that’s a thing ya’ do on the regular.”

“I finished work early,” Starscream opens his hands out in a noncommittal gesture.

“So, ya’ first instinct was ta’ come here where I’ve got too much work t’do,” Wheeljack deadpans.

“Now, Wheeljack, you say that almost like you aren’t happy to see me,” Starscream seems to perk up a bit as he teases him.

“It’s not that I’m not happy ta’ see ya’,” Wheeljack puts a hand on his helm looking suddenly tired, “I’d like ta’ jus’ be workin’ on that project of ours but I do need ta’ work. If ya need somethin’ I’ll get on it but other than that I can’t just scurry off while I’ve got things t’ do.”

“What do you have to do today?”

“I hafta recalibrate the security system on the third floor so it’ll stop detectin’ even a change in one degree of temperature as a threat. Then I gotta motify Ironhide’s upgrade so it’ll ease up on ‘is chassis. Then there’s my usual research that’ll take me mosta the day t’do.”

Starscream teasingly smirks up at him before putting his servos on Wheeljack’s shoulders.

“Oh, I love it when you talk dirty.”

“Ahem,” they turn to see a flustered Windblade with several datapads in hand, “these are for you, Wheeljack.”

She puts them down then rushes out of the lab. Wheeljack lowers his head dejectedly while Starscream laughs.

“Why,” Wheeljack says weakly, “Why is it always her when something like that happens?”

“I don’t know,” Starscream purrs, “but it is always funny.”

“The way yer actin’ isn’t exactly gettin’ anyone ta’ believe we’re not a couple,” Wheeljack gives him an unamused look.

“Well, from what Ironhide said you wouldn’t be opposed to that idea.”

“‘What Ironhide said’?”

“He thinks you’re in love with me,” Starscream says airly and laughs at Wheeljack’s shock.

“He just outta the blue came n’ said that?” Wheeljack sits down, trying to wrap his head around the idea.

“Yes, it was all rather sickeningly sweet, talking about how you seem happier now that we’ve been working on our secret project,” Starscream gestures dramatically.

“What the hell?”

“Apparently we’ve become very serious about each other,” Starscream shakes his head, “Who knew we’d be such a great fit?”

“This is gettin’ outta hand,” Wheeljack groans, “What’s gonna happen when they find out this is all fake? Jus’ their misconception.”

“I don’t know that they will ever figure it out,” Starscream slumps against the tabletop, “They seem determined to keep the illusion going all on their own with barely any fuel.”

“I think yer right. I hate that yer right.”

They stand in the silence left by the conclusion wondering what to do next or if they should do anything at all.

“I’m free now but you’re busy,” Starscream catches Wheeljack’s attention, “I could help you. Ease your workload somewhat since I have nothing better to do.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

The day goes on without anymore issues as the two of them work together contentedly without speaking much but they don’t need to. In any case, they’re both too emotionally drained to talk much anyway and enjoy having company that understands that. Wheeljack finds spending the work day with Starscream as enjoyable as their secret workshopping and having him as a lab partner turns out to be incredibly helpful. He has to ignore the not-so-subtle looks Ironhide throws him when he comes to get the armor on his chassis adjusted while managing to surprise him by suggesting they get drinks later. The head of security undoubtedly thought that Wheeljack would already be busy for the night. Starscream does his damndest to ignore the red mech only to succeed to a small degree while winding up in a long discussion about the new security system. After everything is done they sit down to have some energon together. They sit quietly, letting the peaceful silence wash over them after a long day of good work.

“I have t’go soon ta’ meet the others,” Wheeljack says softly not wanting to break the calm, “I’ll work with ya some t’morrow, yeah?”

“You’ve already given me your entire day,” Starscream says just as softly, optics drooping in a relaxed haze, “I can spare you for a few hours. Go, have fun with your friends.”

“See ya later, Star,” Wheeljack says as he gets up then disposes of his empty cube and leaves.

Taking a moment to finish his cube, Starscream looks around the lab feeling the absence of Wheeljack a little too strongly since he’s never seen this lab without the scientist there. The lab doesn’t look right without him, like a giant hole had been torn into it. Too empty. Too incomplete.

“‘Star’,” he murmurs, “no one’s called me that in a long time.”

Wheeljack meets with Windblade and Ironhide at their usual table that Blurr happens to also be hanging around since it’s turned out to be a slow night. When he gets there all eyes turn on him sending a chill down his spinal strut and he gets the feeling that tonight is going to be a very long night. Blurr smiles after rushing away and back to give Wheeljack his usual to sit down to join them.

“So,” Blurr leans his helm against his fist, elbow resting heavily on the table, “You and Starscream are getting along well, I take it?”

“I guess,” Wheeljack mutters and takes a sip of his drink.

“You two didn’t actually-” Windblade begins but cuts herself off with a sip of her drink.

Wheeljack sets his drink down and tilts his head at her, “Didn’t actually what?”

“Uh, I,” she clears her intake, “I walked in and Starscream said…”

“He was teasing,” he waves off then pauses, a realization suddenly occurring to him, “Wait. Ya think I fragged Star in my lab?”

“I mean, he was there. You were flirting, teasing, so I just thought that maybe I was interrupting again. I’m sorry about that one time before by the way, I didn’t know.”

Wheeljack puts his head in his hands, “I didn’t frag ‘im in m’lab.”

“No, but I bet you thought about it,” Blurr teases and snickers but cuts himself off when Ironhide glares at him.

“Why was he there?” Ironhide pipes in, “I just mean that he’s a busy guy and I can’t see him procrastinating on work like that.”

“Pfft,” Windblade looks away as she murmurs into her drink, “I can. He finally got the forms I’d requested two weeks ago to me today.”

“He finished up early,” Wheeljack abandons his drink, no longer interested in the thing, “N’ he decided t’help me out t’day.”

“Does he do that often?” Blurr practically vibrates with interest.

“No,” Wheeljack sighs, “this is the first time ‘e’s ever done this.”

“Speeding through work just to see you?” Windblade is practically bouncing, “That’s so sweet.”

“I don’t think that was his intention. He seemed at a loss, jus’ lookin’ fer somethin’ t’do.”

“I bet he was,” Ironhide whispers into his drink making Blurr choke on his own with laughter. Windblade shakes her head in disapproval but she’s smiling too much to make much of an impact. Wheeljack just puts his helm on the table.

“So, how is he anyway,” Blurr says, breathing hard from laughing so hard, “in berth I mean.”

“Blurr!” Windblade shouts.

“Guys,” Wheeljack looks up, “Stop, please. Can’t we talk ‘bout somethin’ else.”

“Sure, sure,” Blurr says sarcastically, waving a hand, “because there’s so many more exciting things to talk about like city repairs or security system upgrades.”

“C’mon, Wheeljack,” Ironhide tries more gently, “Just a few details? We just want to know how you two are doing. Doesn’t have to be anything too personal.”

“Whad’ya wanna know?” Wheeljack relents, too tired to argue.

“So you two go on dates all the time right? What do you do?” Windblade butts in first.

“Design projects.”

The whole table goes quiet at that. Their surprise is evident but they continue undeterred.

“So, what? Scientist-scientist roleplay then?” Blurr teases, “Seriously though, you two work outside of work as a date? That… No, you know what? That sounds exactly like you.”

“It isn’t work. It’s projects that don’t have t’be fer anythin’, they can jus’ be whatever.”

“If you say so,” Blurr shrugs.

“I think it’s sweet. The two of you working together like that,” Ironhide pats Wheeljack on the shoulder.

“Thanks.”

The night continues on like that, answering questions about him and Starscream and the relationship they’re not in that slowly become raunchier and raunchier as the night progresses. Wheeljack has to bat off the lude inquiries left and right leaving him exhausted by the time he makes it back to his apartment, all too glad to be away from his friends. He drifts off into recharge and dreams again of red optics shrouded in soft light.

Starscream can’t sleep so he’s perched atop his palace overlooking the city as he feels the night air cool his plating. The events of the day cloud his processor and he so desperately wants to be free of the conversation he had with Ironhide that had been filled with assumptions he’s sure he reinforced by spending the entire day with Wheeljack. He hadn’t talked to him about it like he had intended but what he was going to say still evaded him. Instead he spent the day helping the scientist with his latest projects as well as more menial tasks and had enjoyed every second of it. The whole thing felt calm, almost domestic. His life has been nothing but the intensity of the struggle to survive or the hellscapes of war or the glamour and pressure of being emperor. Today, however, he’d just been Starscream, seeker scientist. Even though the work had been tedious and the clients more frustrating than Rattrap, it had probably been one of the best days of his life which he feels weak and ridiculous for admitting even if it’s just to himself. Wheeljack really doesn’t expect any grand favor or action from him, he just expects him to be there, something that’s incredibly calming to Starscream. With Wheeljack it’s just light conversation, bad jokes, teasing, and clever hands working on amazing machines that sometimes have the chance to explode. It’s nice. Around Wheeljack, he’s just ‘Star’.

Wheeljack is in his lab when Starscream pops in much like yesterday and waits for Wheeljack to finish up before coming over to see what he’s doing.

“It’s still a prototype,” Wheeljack explains and brings out several schematics, “It’s nothin’ excitin’. Jus’ Chromia says she’s been havin’ trouble gettin’ a full recharge. Thought I might try my hand at makin’ a recharge moderator t’ help with energy transfer durin’ recharge.”

“I think it’s rather elegant in design. The issue with these sorts of things is they tend to take up too much space but you managed to keep the size down,” Starscream observes and sees Wheeljack puff up a little at the praise out of the corner of his optic.

“Thanks.”

“I hope you haven’t tired yourself out with this,” Starscream nudges Wheeljack so he’s facing him, “I was hoping we could work on our project tonight.”

“Oh! Yeah, no, I’d love to! I even have an idea how to fix our power problem. This project kinda inspired me a bit,” Wheeljack leads Starscream out of the lab and away through the long tunnels that lead to the spot they’ve claimed as their own.

Starscream looks on as Wheeljack goes through his idea step by step making sure to tell him everything he’s doing to fix the circuitry excitedly as his hands work quickly to rearrange capacitors and microboards. He’s happy to just watch Wheeljack work as their project becomes a mess of wires only for Wheeljack to put it back together neater than before. Wheeljack turns the mass displacement gun on and they wait for the same overheat warning they had before but after a few minutes they let out the breath they hadn’t realized they’d been holding. Turning the gun off again, Wheeljack turns to Starscream only to stop himself before he says anything. Starscream, still focused on the gun, has a soft smile on his face that looks so alien to Wheeljack he has to take a minute to come to terms with the fact that, yes, Starscream is smiling like that. Smiling like that because of him.

Starscream perks up suddenly and Wheeljack has the briefest moment to sigh before being dragged yet again into a compromising situation, this time against a wall. His servos wind up on either side of Starscream’s helm on the wall with his servos placed on Wheeljack’s hips, pulling him close as the footsteps get closer. Windblade turns the corner slowly only to jump back into the hall emitting a groan of dismay. Starscream covers his mouth to stifle a laugh.

“Sorry! Again!” she calls from the hall, “I just needed to let you know that we have to cancel tomorrow’s meeting. I have to meet with the Mistress of Flame.”

“I understand!” Starscream calls back to her followed by the sound of the quick retreat of her footsteps.

Starscream continues to laugh for a good minute and Wheeljack just looks at him, waiting for him to finish. When he’s finally done he looks to see Wheeljack hasn’t moved making his expression fall somewhat in confusion. Sometime during the reworking of their project, Wheeljack had opened his mask to reveal his faceplate which is now directly in front of Starscream’s. Windblade is long gone now but he doesn’t budge. Wheeljack watches Starscream carefully as he struggles with his internal battle as he is now, once again, being presented with the situation that has become too much like his dreams.

“I think we can end the ruse now,” Starscream’s voice is quiet, “she’s gone.”

“You wait fer me t’move.”

Starscream looks at him with his brow furrowed in confusion, “What?”

“Everytime ya do this, ya don’t move away. Ya wait fer me to move away, expect me t’move away first,” Wheeljack explains in a low voice that makes something stir in Starscream.

“You usually wind up on top,” Starscream tries to defend himself, “It’s difficult to be the first to move away.”

“S’pose,” he concedes remaining firmly in front of Starscream, “but ya could push me away a lil or slide away but ya don’t. Ya stay n’ wait fer me.”

“There isn’t ever enough time to be the one to pull away first. You move away so fast,” Starscream puts his hands on his hips as best he can in this position.

“Then push me away now.”

“What?”

“Push me away.”

Starscream puts a hand on Wheeljack’s chest and nudges him gently away and Wheeljack concedes to the gesture easily, pushing off the wall without a word. They face each other for just a bit longer before Wheeljack turns away back to their project. Starscream leans against the wall for a moment, his legs feeling weak beneath him, before joining Wheeljack.

“We should do some tests to see if it actually works and works properly,” Starscream says evenly, picking up the gun.

“Well, we got plenty a’ random scrap around,” Wheeljack picks up a crate full of metal that looks more like shrapnel than scrap.

“Let’s get to it then.”

The mass displacement gun winds up being able to make things bigger but struggles with shrinking things causing them to warp out of shape as the mass is dispersed unevenly. They work well into the night but only manage to reduce the amount by which the materials are warped. Giving up for the night, they stow the gun away and head back up to the surface. The walk back is easy and comfortable but holds a bit of tension from what had happened between them. Neither of them bring it up and before either can even try to build up the nerve to say something they’re at the bend they usually part ways at. Starscream looks over at Wheeljack who still has his mask open revealing his hard features turned in a frown.

“Goodnight, Wheeljack,” Starscream says much softer than he had meant to causing to Wheeljack look at him.

“G’night, Star,” Wheeljack smiles at him then transforms and drives away.

Starscream walks up to his room slowly then flops into his berth. He lays there silently for a while, listening to the sounds of the city at night. His thoughts drift back to his latest meeting with Wheeljack, the look in his optics when Starscream had him pinning him against the wall, the curve of his derma, the roughness to his voice. Starscream could feel his plates beginning to heat up at just the memory of it. He covers his face with his hands in embarrassment but the thoughts continue and wander. Sliding one hand down, he rubs against his modesty panel that’s hot and opens far too quickly in his desperation to touch and feel as he remembers how he felt, trapped between Wheeljack’s arms. He imagines how those plush derma would feel against his neck cables and against his valve. As his fantasies continue, he plays with his anterior node and strokes his spike, imagining clever, black ones touching him instead. He overloads more intensely than he has in a while and runs his cooling fans on their highest setting to try to cool his hot frame. Once somewhat recovered, he goes to his washracks to clean himself and to try to wash away his fantasies with cold solvent.

The next day, Wheeljack doesn’t see Starscream at all and worries that he might have scared the seeker off with what he said yesterday and decides to apologize later. During the time of the canceled meeting after he’s finished reworking the device for Chromia, he heads up to Starscream’s office. After two knocks Starscream calls for him to come in. Wheeljack watches Starscream as he finishes signing a document before he looks up to address his visitor only to jump a little in his seat when he sees that it’s Wheeljack. Taking that as a bad sign, he slowly approaches the chair giving Starscream plenty of time to kick him out but he makes it to the chair and sits down. Starscream looks at him, face impassive but wings twitching nervously.

“Are ya okay, Star?”

“What?” Starscream says a bit dazed, “Yes, I’m fine. Did you need something?”

“No, I jus’ thought that maybe I pushed a boundary or two yesterday n’ if I did I wanted ta apologize,” Wheeljack scratches the back of his helm awkwardly.

“You,” Starscream looks down at his desk, “you didn’t push any boundaries.”

“Oh, good, I’m glad,” Wheeljack shakes out his shoulders a bit, “I don’t want t’do anythin’ that’d make ya uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t,” he says in a clipped tone, “It’s fine.”

“Ya sure?”

“Yes.”

Wheeljack frowns, uncertainty and concern building in his field but Starscream shakes his head.

“Okay,” Wheeljack gets up, “I’ll see ya ‘round.”

Starscream nods and he leaves. Once the door clicks shut, Starscream releases a breath and hides his face in his hands gathering himself before he notifies Ironhide he isn’t feeling very well and is heading back to his quarters. Ironhide sends him an affirmative and he’s off back to his rooms to release the built up charge that had manifested all too easily.

Wheeljack is dragged off to the bar later but he can’t find it in himself to enjoy his time with his friends while remembering how uncomfortable Starscream looked from just seeing him. Starscream had claimed that things are fine between them but by the way he acted the case seemed to be the exact opposite. He hopes that, with whatever is wrong, he hasn’t messed up too badly. Being so caught up in his worrying he doesn’t notice that Windblade had been trying to catch his attention and finally looks over to her in surprise when she nudges him.

“Huh, what? Sorry,” Wheeljack fumbles, turning to see Windblade, Ironhide, and Blurr all looking at him with concern.

“Are you alright Wheeljack?” Windblade asks, gently putting a servo on his shoulder.

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Trouble in paradise?” Ironhide cuts in with a sympathetic smile.

“What?”

“Starscream messaged me earlier today,” Ironhide takes a quick drink, “said he wasn’t feeling well and took the rest of the day off.”

“He did?”

“Did something happen?” Windblade asks worry clouding her voice.

“Yes… No? I don’t know,” Wheeljack sighs and opens his mask to pinch the bridge of his nose, “I tried talkin’ ta him ‘bout it but he said he was fine but…”

“I’m sure he’ll bounce back,” Blurr waves off Wheeljack’s trouble, “He’s Starscream, he can handle this.”

“I’m sure he just needs a bit of time,” Windblade scowls over at Blurr.

“Yeah,” Wheeljack sighs, “Jus’ need ta give ‘im some time.”

“He trusts you, Wheeljack,” Ironhide adds in, “When he’s ready, he’ll let you know what’s wrong.”

“I hope so.”

“So, besides that,” Blurr brings the conversation around, “How is paradise?”

Windblade and Ironhide then berate Blurr for his inconsiderate behavior, yelling at him making him raise his hands in defense. Wheeljack just casually sips his drink as he watches the chaos ensue. Swirling his drink lazily in his servo, he makes a decision in his tipsy, tired, and emotionally addled state which he knows isn’t the best but at this point he just doesn’t seem to care.

“‘e’s a bottom.”

When Wheeljack says this the entire table trickles into silence. Windblade, Ironhide, and Blurr stare openly at him waiting to see if they had heard correctly.

“I mean in the most extreme sense,” Wheeljack leans back, unphased by the change in atmosphere, “He likes t’be totally dominated which I found strange fer the guy that practically declared ‘imself the emperor a’ Cybertron. N’, I mean, bein’ pinned, bound, rendered completely helpless, the whole nine-yards if you catch my drift. He even likes havin’ his wings bound down. N’ ‘e’s surprisingly quiet, makes these cute lil noises. Unsuprisin’ly, he loves bein’ talked up, praised n’ all that. N’ he’s not a screamer at all.”

The three mechs with him have awestruck looks on their faces, clearly unable to believe what he had just actually said. Wheeljack nonchalantly takes a swig of his drink. Blurr breaks first and begins laughing nervously, baffled by the audacity of his friend, clearly losing it. Ironhide can’t seem to find words as he spams a bunch of “good job” and “right on” sort of hand signs. Windblade takes a long drink then clears her intake.

“Ah, well,” she makes a sound of defeat and puts her helm down on the table, “Good for you.”

“Jus’ answerin’ the questions ya been askin’ me,” Wheeljack shrugs, “Careful what ya wish for.”

The night passes and Wheeljack feels a lot better than he had all day. The fact that his friends had avoided talking about Starscream at all costs for the rest of the night had been a plus. He lays down in his berth, smug and happy but he still dreams of those damn optics.

“You want to explain this to me?” Starscream shouts as he bursts into Wheeljack’s lab.

“Hm?” Wheeljack hums in response, used to his lab partner’s dramatic entrances now.

“There are tabloids. Tabloids! Tabloids that describe me as some kind of pillow princess,” Starscream waves a datapad near Wheeljack’s face, “And they all claim to have gotten their intel ‘from the source’, my supposed lover, you.”

Wheeljack eyes the accusing datapad that’s open to the very story Starscream is talking about. He sighs and gently takes the datapad from Starscream’s grip to set it down. He then turns to give him his full attention.

“Ya feelin’ alright? From the other day?”

“Yes, yes, I told you. I just wasn’t feeling very well,” Starscream dismisses him and paces around the room, “What I am upset about are these damn tabloids!”

“I get yer upset but no one believes that garbage anyway. Yer fine, Star.”

“That’s not what I’m getting at,” Starscream throws his hands up in frustration.

“Enlighten me.”

“It’s that they supposedly got their info from you. I thought it was just slander but when I talked about it in front of Ironhide he confirmed that you shared what we supposedly do together.”

“I was sick of people botherin’ me about what we supposedly do together so I jus’ rolled with it.”

“So, what? What good would that do? Did you think that’d be it? The piece that would make them realize we’re not together?”

“No, I just decided that puttin’ them on the reciven’ end a’ social awkwardness would feel better than bein’ on the recieven’ end.”

“Is it really so unbarable? I face it too, Wheeljack! Is it an idea that really makes you so uncomfortable that you have to shove it off onto other people just to make yourself feel better?” Starscream is breathing hard at this point and hurt shines brightly in his optics.

“The idea of it isn’t it,” Wheeljack tries out gently, “It’s everyone interested in my, our business now. I’m not used ta’ that.”

“What did you tell them anyway?” Starscream mutters and turns his gaze away.

At this, Wheeljack steps into Starscream’s space so they’re face to face making Starscream go quiet.

“Jus’ some things I noticed,” Wheeljack moves forward making Starscream stumble back but they end up just as close as before.

“Really,” Starscream’s usual confident facade wavers somewhat and his sarcasm isn’t as biting as usual.

“Really,” Wheeljack confirms and moves forward making Starscream move back again, bumping into a table that he then balances himself on, “Everytime ya’ pulled that lil stunt where ya dragged me into a compromisin’ position t’ hide the fact that we’re making illegal gadgets, ya pulled me over ya. Always. Ya like bein’ there.”

Wheeljack snags Starscream’s servos then uses them to roughly leverage Starscream back on to the table to pin his servos above his head. Starscream’s optics grow wide and his vents hitch but he doesn’t struggle, in fact, he goes limp in Wheeljack’s hold, submitting himself to his rough treatment.

“Ya like bein’ helpless, outta control,” Wheeljack opens his mask, revealing a wicked grin then he leans down by Starscream’s audial, “N’ ya like it when we get caught. Knowin’ someone’s imaginin’ ya gettin’ yer brain module fragged outta ya makes yer fuel lines thrum. Ya like the idea a’ me takin’ ya anytime, anywhere like some kinda livin’ sex toy made jus’ fer me.”

At this point, Starscream’s panting and Wheeljack can feel his plates beginning to heat up. Wheeljack chuckles low in his chassis sending delicious vibrations to pulse through Starscream making him gasp. A gentle bite on a neck cable has Starscream stretching up to meet him. Wheeljack pulls away while Starscream makes a sound of protest but just as quickly as he leaves he’s back with magnetic clamps used for holding down equipment. He puts them on Starscream’s wrists effectively rendering him helpless and at the mercy of Wheeljack.

“When did you get this good at reading people?” Starscream pants out, excited by the prospects being offered to him.

“When did ya become so easy ta read?”

Starscream opens his mouth to protest but then Wheeljack is on top of him, kissing the words from his lips. He runs his hands over Starscream’s chassis while dipping into transformation seams making Starscream emit little gasps into the kiss. Wheeljack grinds his panel against Starscream’s and moans at the heat coming off of it and Starscream takes this moment to wrap his legs around his waist. Wheeljack moves back to Starscream’s neck to play with the sensitive cables there with his teeth and glossa, nibbling lightly, teasingly and slipping in-between the little gaps there causing Starscream to gasp and hum in approval. Wheeljack slides his servos down Starscream’s thighs and pushes them gently from his hips then kisses down Starscream’s chassis slowly and delicately making him twist and squirm. He gives Starscream’s hot panel a lazy lick and his hips jolt at the touch. Wheeljack continues licking at the panel and at the gaps where it meets Starscream’s thighs. Eventually he can’t take anymore and his panel snaps back to reveal his wet valve and pressurized spike to Wheeljack who immediately sucks on his node and hums making Starscream moan. Wheeljack laps at his node and kneads the gaps at his hips making him twitch and gasp.

“Wheeljack,” Starscream breaths out, “you better put your spike in me soon.”

“Or what?” Wheeljack chuckles as he puts a digit in Starscream’s valve making the seeker forget what he was going to say for a moment.

“Or I’ll- mm- never let you do this again.”

“What? Ya mean this?” and with that Wheeljack slides in another digit while sucking on his node and strokes a hand up Starscream’s spike.

“Just take your fucking time then I guess,” Starscream says in a daze of pleasure, “fuck.”

Wheeljack laughs and adds a third digit feeling the calipers tighten on his fingers and Starscream hums in appreciation at the added stretch. Balancing himself on one hand, Wheeljack leans over him and with a couple more pumps, pulls his digits out and put the head of his spike at Starscream’s entrance. With the head of his spike he teases his node making Starscream grumble in frustration.

“What are you waiting for?” Starscream moans.

“Beg.”

“What?”

“Ya heard me, beg fer my spike.”

“Wheeljack,” Starscream purrs, “I’m not below such things in berth. If you’re hoping to embarrass me you really need to try harder than that. So, please, put your big spike in my tight, little valve you sexy scientist. I want to feel you stretch me wide and fill me up with your hot transfluid so- ah!”

Starscream’s cut off by the feeling of Wheeljack pushing his spike in to the hilt while holding onto Starscream’s thigh in a tight grip. He starts slow and easy after the initial shove, the ridges of spike rubbing against the sensors in Starscream’s valve that’s dripping with lubricant now. Wheeljack leans down close to Starscream and presses gentle kisses against his neck as he continues to move slowly and steadily. He moves his hand up Starscream’s thigh to his spike and begins stroking it along to the steady rhythm he’s set. All Starscream can seem to do is breath in heavy pants as Wheeljack takes control of him. He turns to face Wheeljack with those red optics he’d been dreaming about and Wheeljack kisses him, slow and sweet.

“Yer beautiful,” Wheeljack whispers in Starscream’s audial, “Perfect in every way.”

Starscream gulps and doesn’t respond.

“I love how ya’ gasp n’ moan fer me. Love the way ya trust me ta do this with ya. Those optics a’ yers, drivin’ me crazy n’ that smile that ya have when it’s jus’ us,” Wheeljack picks up the pace as he continues to talk and Starscream exclaims at the sudden increase in friction, feeling Wheeljack’s spike begin to slam into him roughly, “Those lovely hips a’ yers as ya walk. The way yer wings fan out when ya’ stretch. Everythin’ ‘bout ya is perfect. I love every part.”

Wheeljack kisses Starscream quickly before pushing back up to get a better angle. He picks up the seeker’s thighs and moves even faster causing their plating to clash against each other and for obscene sounds to come from Starscream’s valve. Each thrust drives deep into Starscream making him cry out and moan as Wheeljack finds the right angle to hit his interior node. The world reduces itself to them and the delightful warmth between them as charge surges through their arrays as they begin to peak.

“Wheeljack,” Starscream gasps, “Cum inside me.”

Wheeljack moves faster at Starscream’s words and with just a few more thrusts the charge in his array disperses and his systems tighten as he releases his load into Starscream who comes undone shortly after, calipers tightening onto Wheeljack’s spike, milking him for everything he’s worth. Starscream opens his optics to look at Wheeljack who leans down to capture his derma in another kiss.

As they cool down, Wheeljack pulls out and releases Starscream from the magnetic clips before grabbing a clean towel to wipe them down, cleaning them of the worst of the mess. Wheeljack then lifts Starscream up somewhat in his still hazy state to wrap him in an embrace with Starscream leaning up against him, his helm tucked under Wheeljack’s chin. Starscream brings his servos up to hold on to Wheeljack’s arms that are securely holding him and sighs contentedly. They sit like that for a little while, just enjoying the cool down together. Starscream looks up at Wheeljack who returns the look and leans down to kiss his seeker again slow and gentle while keeping his hold tight. When they break apart Starscream sits up fully, pulling himself out of the embrace.

“That was…” Starscream begins but loses what he wants to say.

“Nice,” Wheeljack offers and Starscream nods.

“We should do that again sometime,” Starscream says not meeting Wheeljack’s eyes.

“Yeah.”

The room grows silent and Starscream shifts in discomfort.

“Is everythin’ okay?” Wheeljack wraps an arm behind Starscream and pulls him in close again.

“Those things you said, while we interfaced,” Starscream meets Wheeljack’s eyes.

“Yeah? What about it?”

“Does that mean you…” Starscream pauses and puts a hand against Wheeljack’s cheek who puts a hand over his, “Do you love me?”

“I think so,” Wheeljack confesses and Starscream baries his face in the crook of Wheeljack’s neck.

“Say it,” Starscream sounds the most vulnerable Wheeljack has ever heard him even though he’s still trying to sound like the demanding emperor, “Say it.”

“I love ya,” Wheeljack says and is met with the full weight of the seeker, knocking him on his back with lips on his own.

“I love you too,” Starscream says smiling down at Wheeljack.

“Good, but uh, I think I hear someone coming.”

“Oh no.”

It’s too late though, and Windblade comes waltzing right in eyes glued to a datapad.

“Hey, Wheeljack-” she begins then looks up and in her shock she drops her datapad.

“Hey,” Wheeljack says weakly.

“I… I’m gonna go,” Windblade says and runs out of the lab.

“Why is it always her?” Wheeljack grumbles as Starscream dies from laughter on top of him. 

All in all, it didn’t turn out so bad.


End file.
